Top 35 Lower Body Exercises

Top 35 Lower Body
Exercises
Calf Raise - Single Leg
•Stand on one leg, toes on edge of box
•Ankle hanging below toes
•Hold something for support
•Lift & lower body by extending the ankle of the stance
leg
•Maintain an upright posture throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Forward Hops - 3 Each Leg - Ladder
•Hop forward on one leg
•One hop in each square
•Every 3 hops swap legs
•Continue this sequence until ladder is complete
•Ground contact on balls of feet
Repeat 3-6 times. Rest 60-90s between repetitions.
Lateral Jumps - 2 Each Square & Spin - Ladder
•Stand side on to the ladder, straddle first rung
•Jumping action, moving sideways through the ladder
•Straddle each rung of the ladder once Straddle each
rung of the ladder once
•After 3 jumps, jump & spin 180 degrees, continue
jumping
•Repeat sequence until ladder is complete
•Ground contact on balls of feet
Repeat 8-12 times. Rest 90s between repetitions.
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Marching - High Knees
•March up & down on the spot
•Emphasise high knee action & extension of the stance
leg
Complete 2-4 sets of 30-50 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Squat - Wobble Board or Foam Roller
•Feet positioned toward edges of wobble board
•Arms in front of body
•Keep wobble board as flat as possible
•Descend into a squat position
•Ascend by standing up slowly
•Board stays balanced
•Maintain an upright posture throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Arabesque - Single Leg Quarter Squats
•Adopt the arabesque position
•Shoulders, hips, knees & ankles aligned & close to
horizontal
•Perform small squats on one leg while maintaining
position
•Maintain balance, repeat as directed
Complete 2-5 sets of 6-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Arabesque - Torso Rotations
•Adopt the arabesque position, arms out wide
•Shoulders, hips, knees & ankles aligned & close to
horizontal
•Rotate trunk so hand is pointing to upward
•Return to start position & repeat
•Maintain good balance & alignment throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
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Bounding - Alternate Legs
•Running action
•Lengthen stride
•Aim for maximum height & distance from each stride
•Ground contact on balls of feet
•Maintain an upright posture, use arm action to assist
with elevation
Complete 2-4 sets of 3-6 repetitions. Rest 90s between
sets.
Deadlift
•Barbell on floor, hip width stance
•Shins contact bar, shoulders forward of bar, normal
spine •Grip shoulder width, feet flat on floor
•Stand up slowly, bar close to chins & thighs
•Maintain normal spinal curvatures throughout
movement
•Reverse the action to return to the floor
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Depth Jumps
•Stand on a low box
•Step off box, land on the balls of both feet
•Land with hips, knees & ankles slightly flexed
•Jump immediately
•Aim to minimise ground contact time
•Increase height of box to increase difficulty of task not
more than 0.6m
Complete 2-4 sets of 3-6 repetitions. Rest 90s between
sets.
Lateral Bounds
•Bound sideward off one leg onto the other
•On landing, bound back in the opposite direction
•Repeat sequence
•Maintain a low centre of gravity throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 3-6 repetitions. Rest 90s between
sets.
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Leg Press - Double Leg
•Feet & knees hip width apart
•Control descent to 90 degree knee flexion
•Return to start position by extending knees
•Avoiding hyperextension knees
•Maintain flat feet throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Lunge - Barbell
•Feet hip width apart
•Bar positioned across back of shoulders
•Take a large step forward, descend until leading thigh
is parallel to floor
•Return to start position by rapidly extending leading leg
•Maintain upright posture throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Lunge - Overhead - Medicine Ball
•Feet hip width apart, medicine ball held high above
head
•Take a large step forward, descend until leading thigh
is parallel to floor
•Return to start position by rapidly extending leading leg
•Keep ball above head & maintain upright posture
throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Lunge - Rotation - Medicine Ball
•Feet hip width apart, medicine ball held out in front of
body
•Take a large step forward, descend until leading thigh
is parallel to floor
•On descent rotate torso to the same side as the
leading leg
•Return to start position by rapidly extending leading leg
& rotating torso back to neutral position
•Variation - Substitute medicine ball for a weight plate
or dumbbell
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
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Lunge - Walking
•Feet hip width apart
•Grip dumbbell in each hand
•Take a large step forward, descend until leading thigh
is parallel to floor
•Push off the trailing leg & step forward onto the leading
leg to the new start position
•Maintain upright posture throughout
Variations: Substitute dumbbells for a barbell or
medicine ball
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Side Lying Leg Lifts - 5 Second Holds
•Lie on side, arm under head if possible
•Other hand on hip
•Preset lower abdominals
•Abduct the hip & raise the leg to 30 degrees
•Hold for 5 seconds, lower leg & repeat
Complete 2-5 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Split Jump - Body Weight
•Stand in split stance
•Descend rapidly into split squat position
•Immediately jump for height
•Land with stance reversed, immediately jump again
Complete 2-4 sets of 3-6 repetitions. Rest 90s between
sets.
Split Squat - Dumbbell
•Feet hip width apart, long split stance
•Grip dumbbell in each hand
•Descend until leading thigh is parallel to floor
•Ascend by pushing shoulders towards the roof
•Maintain upright posture throughout movement
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
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Split Squat - Foot on Box - Barbell or Dumbbell
•Hold barbell across shoulders, or dumbbells in hands
•Start in a split squat position, rear foot on box or bench
•Perform split squat in controlled manner
•Maintain upright torso
•Complete repetitions on one side at a time
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60-90s
between sets.
Squat - Body Weight
•Stand feet wider than hip width apart
•Arms in front of body
•Push knees forward over toes & sit backward until top
of thigh is parallel to floor
•Ascend by driving hips forward & shoulders towards
the roof
•Feet stay flat & lower back maintains normal curvature
throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Squat - Single Leg - Quarter Squat on Unstable Surface
•Stand on one leg on a mini trampoline, foam roller or
wobble board
•Squat down slowly to a partial squat position
•Maintain balance & return to standing
•Maintain alignment of knee, hip & ankle
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Step Up - Gluteal Endurance
•Stand with one foot forward on a low box
•Lean torso forward over leg
•Squeeze both gluteals
•Slowly step up onto the box
•Lower slowly, emphasising control of the pelvis & glute
contraction
•Repeat repetitions on one leg at a time
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
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Step Up Jumps
•Select knee high box or lower
•Stand in front of box, one foot on top of box
•Step up onto the box & jump for height
•Land with stance reversed, immediately jump again
•Aim to jump for maximum height
Complete 2-4 sets of 3-6 repetitions. Rest 90s between
sets.
Straight Leg Raise - Co-Contraction
•Sit on the floor, legs extended
•May bend one leg up for support
•With the straight leg - point toes up, squeeze
quadriceps/thigh muscles to extend the knee
•Keep the leg straight & slowly lift the leg off the floor
•Lower leg & repeat
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 30-60
between sets.
Tuck Jumps
•Stand, feet hip width apart
•Drop into a partial squat position
•Immediately jump for maximum height
•Tuck knees to chest during flight
•Land legs slightly flexed
•Immediately jump again & repeat sequence
Complete 2-4 sets of 3-6 repetitions. Rest 90s between
sets.
Ankle Bounces - Torso Rotations
•Stand, feet hip width apart, knees slightly flexed
•Jump repeatedly, each jump rotate lower body to the
left or right
•Shoulders face forward throughout
•Emphasise rotation through the torso
•Bounce with short, soft ground contacts
Complete 2-4 sets of 10-20 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
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Bridge - Feet On Exercise Ball
•Lie face up, feet on stability ball, knees & hips bent to
90 degrees
•Preset lower abdominals
•Press heels into the exercise ball, lift the hips to align
with shoulders & knees
•Maintain neutral spine position
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions. Rest 30s
between sets.
Bridge - Single Leg On Exercise Ball
•Lie face up, one foot on a exercise ball
•Knee & hip bent to 90 degrees, other leg straight
•Preset lower abdominals, press heel into the exercise
ball & lift the hips to align with the shoulder & knee
•Maintain neutral spine position
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions. Rest 30s
between sets.
Deadlift - Single Arm & Leg - Dumbbell
•Stand on one leg, hold dumbbell in hand on same side
•Hold dumbbell in front of thigh
•Bend forward from hip, extend other leg backward in
Arabesque like position
•Keep dumbbell close to leg
•Stand & repeat
Complete 2-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Hip Extension - Lying - Cable
•Lie face up, head toward high cable
•One leg vertical, other leg flat
•Attach cable cuff to ankle of raised leg
•Keep leg straight, pull leg to floor
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
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Leg Curl - Single Leg On Exercise Ball
•Lie on floor, one heel on crest of the ball
•Other heel slightly above ball
•Hips extended - shoulders, hips, knees & ankles align
•Bend knee to roll ball to buttocks
•Extend leg to return to start position
•Ensure hips remain square with shoulders
•Torso maintains a stable position throughout
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Bridge & Hold - Alternate Leg Extensions
•Lie face up, knees bent, feet flat on floor
•Lift hips to align with shoulders & knees
•Hold bridge position, slowly extend one knee, pause,
return foot to the floor
•Repeat on other side
Complete 2-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Hip Adduction - Standing - Cable
•Stand beside low cable
•Attach cable cuff around near ankle
•Hold for support
•Pull the cable by adducting the hip
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
Hip Abduction - Standing - Cable
•Stand beside low cable
•Attach cable cuff around far ankle
•Hold for support
•Pull the cable by abducting the hip
Complete 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60s
between sets.
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